JANUARY 2, 1936. FLIGHT. 13
KL FLAP DOWN
-N J^-
•&rff777//fj
7p//r/v/Pyr/ /A/////frr/
• s
- -4
- 5
- 4
• -i
1 f
40*
3 4
I 1
NORMAL SECTION Tip Sloh open)
\W FIG.II
^^^&W^
MEAN KL • 65
•5 6 7 -8 -9
1 1 1 1 1
large percentage of the available maximum lift of a tip slot
at a relatively small geometric angle of the whole aerofoil.
In the example given it will be noticed that the geometric
angle is only 15.5 deg., which is not more than the stalling
angle of the unslotted section. In spite of this a very
substantial lift increase is obtained from the wing tip slots.
Fig. 11 shows a comparison between the lift distribution
lor an unslotted and unflapped tapered wing at its maximum
overall lift and the lift obtained for the same wing when
fitted with a partially slotted flap and tip slot. T^je shaded
areas indicate the lift-increase due to flap and tip slot.
It follows from this that on a tapered wing the tip slots
actually contribute veiy materially to the maximum lift
obtainable, even at the stalling angle of the ordinary
section, whereas on a rectangular wing their contribution
to the total lift at normal stalling angles is negligible. The
superstall angle, i.e., the angle at which the tip slots stall,
is therefore also much larger for a rectangular wing than
for a tapered wing.
The theoretically predicted mean Iv has been well
confirmed by full-scale flight trials, and the maximum hit
which was obtained on an aircraft fitted with the same wing
as used for the calculation gave a measured maximum KL
of 1.06, and the damping-in roll at this K, was still perfectly
satisfactory. This K,_ was actually obtained on an aircraft
of nearly 10 tons all-up weight.
The writer is indebted to his collaborators Messrs. R. S.
Stafford and J. R. Crean, who worked out the lift grading
curves and to Mr. F. R. Hounsfield who took the flow
pictures in the Handley Page wind tunnel. He also
wishes to express his thanks to Messrs. Handley Page for
their permission to publish certain results which were
obtained by their aerodynamic section.
REFERENCES.
1 " On the Theory of Tapered Aerofoils." Bv A. Fage, A.R.C. Sc., R. & M.
Report, No. 800. 2
"The Aerodynamical Characteristics of Wings of Arbitrary Plan Form." By
B. N. Jurieff, Vestnik Vozdushnogo Flota, No. 2 (Moscow, 1923).. , . • 3
:." A Simple Method of Calculating the Induced Velocity of a Monoplane Wing."
By Itiro Tani, Report of the Aeronautical Research Institute. Tokyo Imperial
University, Report No. 111.
4 " The Elements of Aerofoil and Airscrew Theory." By H. Glauert. .
5 " Berechrmng - der Auftriebsverteilung beliebig geiormter Flugel," Z.F.M.
1931, p. 189. By J. Lotz.
' * " The Lotz Method for Calculating the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Wings,"
May, 1931, The Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society. By B. S. Shenstone.
; ".Per.veovundene Trapezfhigel," Z.FJU., 1933,. p. 307. By J. Hueber.
' " Stalling," The Journal of the Rovai Aeronautical Socielv, September, 1934.
By B. Melvill Jones. _. = ::• -..•• ' " - . ....
THE LATE ROBERT -LORAINE . *
TT seems a very long time ago since Robert Loraine, who died
-*- in a nursing home after an operation just before Christmas,
was astounding the embryonic flying world with his daring
feats in a Henry Farman biplane with Gnome engine. Since
the war one has thought of him almost exclusively as an
eminent actor and theatrical manager, but in the pages of
Flight of the year 1910 he appears constantly as one of the
most notable of the flying pioneers. 1
He learned to fly in France in June, 1910, and his French
certificate No. 126 was accepted by the Aero Club of the
United Kingdom. He took his Henry Farman to the flying
meetings at Bournemouth and Blackpool in that same year.
After the latter meeting was over he flew down to Southport,
and then daringly set out across the sea to Cemlyn, near
Llandudno. There he had a minor crash, but repaired his
machine and reached Holyhead. After spending a night there
he set out to fly the Irish Sea to Dublin. It was a tremendously
reckless feat, considering how unreliable were the engines of
those days, and to make matters worse he had no flotation
gear of any sort. He had plenty of excitement during the
crossing, though, to be fair to the Gnome, it was the petrol
teed which nearly proved his undoing. Six times while he was
over the open sea did the engine fail and bring him dovvn
almost to the level of the water, and each time it picked up
just in time and allowed him to regain his height. When he
was within a couple of hundred yards of Howth the final
failure occurred, and the Farman and Loraine went into the s<;
i- He swam to the lighthouse.
In the Army manoeuvres that autumn Loraine flew a Bristol
fitted with a W/T transmitting set, and sent messages quite
successfully from a distance of a quarter of a mile.
On the outbreak cf war Loraine joined the R.F.C., and on
Jctober 26, 1915, he won the Military Cross for a daring attack
on an Albatros. He drove it down from 9,000 feet to 600 feet,
pounded the pilot and hit his camera and wireless transmitter.
ihe Albatros fell in our lines. The citation in the London
\a-ieile described this as a feat of "conspicuous gallantry and
In the Birthday Honours of 1917 he was made a C< m-
panion of the Distinguished Service Order. Af the battles of
the Somme he commanded No. 40 Squadron, which he had
himself raised. In due course he was promoted to Lieut.-
Colonel and commanded a training station at home.
skill.' Mr. Robert Loraine at a Bournemouth meeting in 1910.